


The Nearness of You

by Adarian



Category: Mass Effect Trilogy
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-09
Updated: 2017-10-09
Packaged: 2019-01-15 08:57:27
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,930
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12317814
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Adarian/pseuds/Adarian
Summary: By the time the Shepard-Traynors are ready to have a baby, there is a relatively routine procedure where queer women can synthesize genetic information from one partner's bone marrow in order to get the other pregnant. After years of surgeries and experiments from Cereberus scientists and Alliance doctors, Shepard doesn't feel comfortable doing it so they decide to start a family an old fashioned way: inseminating Samantha with a donation at home. While it was never how Samantha planned to have a child, it turns out to be just as romantic.





	The Nearness of You

It was October 7th. It was the day. The big day. The day they had been waiting for since they decided they were ready for a baby. It was perfect timing in Samantha's ovulation cycle and perfect for both of them in their teaching schedule, having the baby during summer break (a strange remnant from Earth classrooms). 

It seemed so...old fashioned. Samantha knew this was not an uncommon means of conceiving and was widely practiced before the invention of marrow extraction. It meant that the baby wouldn't actually have any of Shepard's DNA in her - or that there was a guarantee it would be a her. The baby would be technically Steve's and while that was a little strange to her, they both loved him fiercely and were happy to have him as an uncle to their child. 

Shepard had made it clear, even when they were first dating, that if they were to have a biological child, this was how it had to be. Samantha hadn't understood at first, not until she learned more about how Cerberus had pieced her love back together and took whatever bits they wanted. When they saw Shepard's clone with their own eyes, they both agreed that it was not wise to let anyone near her DNA again. Shepard was trying to protect her future children and the best way she could do it was giving them nothing of her own ancestry. Shepard loved this baby so much, even now when it was just a twinkle in their eyes. 

It was not how Samantha had always pictured starting a family but it was the safest way, the gentlest way, and there was something oddly romantic about following in the footsteps of the queer women before her. This was not a complicated procedure or a series of pokes and prods. It was a little...unsightly to have the vial just sitting in their refrigerator but she tried to ignore it and knew she was scrubbing the daylights out of the appliance the minute it was gone. 

She took it out to rest on the counter and pulled out a bottle of sparkling cider. She poured them both a glass before rearranging the flowers and ensuring that dinner (take out from down the street, thankfully) looked perfect.

Shepard opened the front door and Sam jumped slightly, smoothing down her silky red dress. It was a little much for her, neither she nor her wife being particularly fancy, but this was a special night.

Aria Shepard carried a bottle of the same sparkling cider and a bouquet of the same yellow daffodils. At seeing the set table, she laughed and placed them both down. 

She teased, "Two years and we're already an old married couple."

"We know what we like," Samantha said. 

Shepard grinned. "That we do."

She kissed her, cupping Samantha's face in her hands. Shepard didn't do quick pecks or absentminded goodbyes, not since the Catalyst. She kissed her every time as if they would never see each other again. 

"I'm too nervous to eat," Shepard admitted.

"Me too," Samantha agreed, "but it's not ready yet. It'll be at least twenty minutes."

Shepard flipped through her omni-tool and cast something to the speakers. Classical earth music began to play and Shepard offered her hand.

"Then dance with me."

Shepard had a wide taste of music, much of it used over the years to drive their shipmates a little nutty. Sam hated most of it, but she recognized the singer and took her hand with a smile.

Samantha took each step with her gently. Shepard's legs were strong enough but her arms were still weak. She had lost so much muscle there, having thrown up her arms to protect herself when...well, Samantha didn't know exactly what had happened. Her wife had never told her or anyone - except, maybe Garrus but Samantha wouldn't begrudge her if she did. Whatever Shepard had done, it had cost her and she would not burden that on Samantha. 

"What are you thinking about?" Shepard asked, that dreamy smile still on her face.

Samantha admitted, "The war." 

Shepard flinched ever so slightly and regained her cool. "It's in the past. Right now, let's focus on us. Tonight is just about us, love. About our future. About our family."

Samantha's heart flipped over, like it did every time her wife talked about them as family. The Shepard-Traynors. Though the kids would have Samantha's last name, just to make things easier for them as they grew up and Samantha suspected that Shepard wanted to distance even herself from her famous last name.

Samantha caught herself. This was about them. She wanted to be in the moment, not jumping years ahead. She was just so nervous and excited and her heart was racing. 

"How was class?" Samantha asked.

Shepard shrugged. "You know. I try to explain aqueducts and people ask me if I broke my skull head butting a krogan. It's early in the semester. The hero worshippers will drop out eventually."

"Not all of them," Sam joked. "You remember that boy? What was his name again?" 

Shepard groaned, "Oh, poor Ben. He wrote the worst poetry on his term papers. I heard he got one of them published. I don't think I can stomach reading it."

Samantha giggled, "You've inspired a whole new generation to become civil engineers. Think of the innovations that will come of those crushes."

Shepard laughed. "The Indiana Jones effect. Maybe I should start wearing a fedora and a fake-leather jacket to class. I'm sure they'd love that."

"The Indiana Jones effect?" Samantha asked.

Shepard shook her head with a smile. "We'll watch them on mat leave. Oh Sam, I'm finally going to get you to watch that vid list. You're going to be so cultured."

"Only if you finally get to my reading list," she countered. 

"I saved the galaxy. I think that gets me off the hook for ever having to read _Crime and Punishment_." 

Samantha stuck out her tongue. "You can't always use that card."

"Is there a vid version?"

Samantha laughed. "Not a good one."

The song changed again. A newer piece, at least within their lifetimes. Just as soft, just as sweet. Samantha recognized this one too. Shepard had played it the morning after she had asked Samantha to marry her. Shepard had been cooking in the kitchen, a mistake as always, and she had wandered in half asleep and hungry for scrambled eggs. The food had gotten cold by the time they finally got to it. 

Shepard gave her a little spin and Samantha giggled as she returned to her arms. Shepard smiled nervously, her hand now on the small of Samantha's back. 

"Do you want to go upstairs?" Shepard asked.

"It hasn't been enough time," Samantha reminded.

Her wife grinned in response. "I think I can occupy us for fifteen minutes. Why don't you get into bed and I'll meet you there?"

Samantha shivered as her love traced her fingers down her spine. She kissed Shepard's neck before letting go. She went into their bedroom, keeping a hand on her chest to will her heart to slow down.

Shepard returned, putting the vial and syringe down on the bedside table. Samantha tried not to look at it and instead focused on Shepard kissing down her neck.

"Are you nervous?" Samantha asked.

Shepard laughed against her skin. "I've got the easy job, love. Are you nervous?"

Samantha confessed, "A little. Frankly this was all very academic until I saw it sitting between the milk and the lemonade." 

"We can find another way, Sam. Or if you're not ready...that's okay."

Samantha turned and kissed her. "No. No this is perfect."

Shepard started unbuttoning her Alliance jacket, slinging it and her formal pants over a nearby chair. Down to her band and boxers, her brown skin revealed the dozen surgeries she had after the war and the dozens more under Cerberus' knife. Shepard joked there wasn't much left to her anymore but Samantha thought every last bit of her was profoundly beautiful.

Shepard knelt on top of her, kissing her neck still as she ran a hand up Samantha's dress. Their eyes met as Shepard slid her fancy knickers off and tossed them on her jacket. She lowered herself, kissing down Samantha's chest before raising the hem of her dress to just above her hips.

Her fingers just grazed her folds, her hands pushing her legs open just a little further. Their eyes met again and Samantha's heart raced. Shepard bent her head back down and gave her a gentle kiss on her sex. A finger tested her entrance as Shepard's tongue circled around her clit without actually touching the nub. Her finger slipped a little further in, slowly moving in and out as Shepard teased her further. Samantha felt herself grow wetter, her body opening more and more to her lover's touch. 

Shepard's tongue ran over her clit and Samantha gasped out. Shepard slid a second finger into her, curling up to match her tongue. Samantha clamped down, shaking and moaning as her wife coaxed her into climax. She arched her back and Shepard thrust her tongue into her, drinking her down as Samantha grinded against her. 

Shepard snapped her own band off and chucked it on the floor. Samantha managed to sit up enough to slip her dress over her head and discard it too. Shepard withdrew, kissing her folds as Samantha whined for her. Shepard wiped her mouth on the back of her hand before kissing her hard. Samantha clung to her, rubbing her swollen clit against hers through the thin fabric. Shepard bit her lip, trying not to groan.

She slid her fingers into Samantha again, kissing her hungrily. She rode them, crying out as Shepard's thumb rubbed her clit again. She rarely came twice so soon but she was so close she almost wanted to sob. 

Shepard's voice was low and husky as she asked, "Are you ready?" 

Samantha was too blissed to process her words. "Ready?"

Shepard groaned against her skin. "I want to get you pregnant, Sam. I want to put a baby in you. Right now. Can I?"

Samantha gasped, "Yes. Just like this." 

"I love you," Shepard moaned, "I love you so much."

Shepard abandoned her temporarily but slid back into bed beside her. Shepard glided her fingers inside of her again, returning to her pace. Samantha started tensing again and threw her arms around her neck, bringing her into a deep kiss. Shepard rubbed against her, her fingers less delicate, more desperate. Samantha hit her crest and held on, giving complete control to her wife as she replaced her fingers with the syringe and pressed down. She immediately returned to her task, guiding her through her pleasure, her body drawing the fluid into her. 

She opened her eyes again to see Shepard's beaming face. Shepard put a pillow under her hips and advised her to keep her legs bent. Samantha did so, though they trembled so much she thought they might flop over. Shepard kissed her and sat on the edge of the bed. Samantha rubbed her back affectionately as Shepard jerked herself off to her own finish, sighing ever so slightly when she was done. She came back to kneel on top of her, kissing her fiercely. Samantha cupped her face in her hands, pressing her forehead against hers.

Samantha said softly, "I love you. All of you."

Shepard broke into an almost shy smile but said nothing. She didn't need to.


End file.
